Circulation Privileges and Loan Limits

The Research Library is primarily a noncirculating library. Materials must be used at designated reading spaces. Please refer to the Access Policy to learn about how to become a Reader in the Library.

Circulation privileges and loan limits are established according to patron status. When the limit is reached, Primo Search will block further loans until the borrower has returned materials.

Plaza Readers: Up to 50 items may be requested for use in the Plaza Reading Room. Materials may not be taken out of the library.

Stack Readers: Up to 100 items may be checked out and placed on designated reserve shelves on L2. Materials may not be taken out of the library.

Extended Readers: Up to 200 items may be checked out and placed on designated reserve shelves on L2 or in assigned carrels. Materials may not be taken out of the library.

Getty staff, In-Residence Getty Scholars and Fellows, Getty Interns: Up to 200 items may be checked out and kept in Getty Center offices and workstations. A limited number of books may be taken off campus (see Loan Periods).

Getty Docents and Getty Volunteers: Up to 100 items may be checked out and placed on designated reserve shelves on L2. Materials may not be taken out of the library.

Getty Departments Located outside the Research Institute: Up to 500 items may be checked out to the department.

Requesting Materials and Self-Checkout

Please note: Items not found in open stacks must be requested online via Primo Search.

Open Stack Books, Periodicals, and Auction Catalogs

Stack Readers, Extended Readers, Getty staff, in-residence Getty scholars and fellows, Getty interns, Getty docents, and Getty volunteers must retrieve books, periodicals, and auction catalogs from the open stacks themselves. These items must be checked out via self-checkout before being taken to reserve shelves, tables, carrels, offices, or workstations. Self-checkout is performed using the public terminals. Circulation staff will periodically identify and remove items that have not been correctly checked out.

Getty staff located in the South Building and at the Villa may request both storage and open stack materials.

Plaza Readers must request open stack and storage materials not located in the Plaza Reading Room for use in the reading room according to the storage request schedule.

Requesting Items from Storage or the Library Annex

Items labeled 'Storage' or 'Library Annex' in Primo Search and other materials not found
in the open stacks must be requested online via Primo Search.

Storage and Library Annex Request and Pick-Up Schedule:

Requests entered:

Are available:

by 10:00 a.m. from 'Storage'

after 11:00 a.m. at your designated Getty Center hold location

after 2:30 p.m. at the Villa

by 2:00 p.m. from 'Storage'

after 3:30 p.m. at your designated Getty Center hold location

by 10:00 a.m. from the 'Library Annex'

after 2:30 p.m. at the Villa

after 3:30 p.m. at your designated Getty Center hold location

by 8:00 a.m. from the Villa Library

after 3:30 p.m. at your designated Getty Center hold location

Friday after 10:00 a.m. from the 'Library Annex'
or 2:00 p.m. from 'Storage'

Receiving Items Requested from Storage or the Library Annex:

Plaza Readers: Items will be delivered to the Plaza Reading Room one hour after each paging session. See schedule above.

Stack Readers, Extended Readers, Getty docents, and Getty volunteers: Items are held at the Circulation Desk for pick-up and then transferred to the L2 reserve shelves and carrels on Friday afternoon every week.

Getty Research Institute staff, scholars, and interns: Items are held at a designated location near the Circulation Desk.

Getty Museum staff: Items are available at designated drop-off points in the Museum, Monday–Friday, after 3:30 p.m.

Getty Conservation Institute/Foundation/Trust: Items are available at the GCI Information Center after 3:30 p.m.

Villa and South Building: Items will be delivered by a facilities courier once a day, arriving at 2:30 p.m.

Recalled Materials

Items checked out are subject to recall for use by another patron. Borrowers are required to comply with the rules governing recalled materials.

Plaza Readers, Stack Readers, Extended Readers, Getty docents, and Getty volunteers: In a Reader's absence, recalled items will be removed from reserve shelves or carrels by circulation staff and a notice will be left for the Reader. Readers may recall the item back from the current patron as needed.

Getty staff, in-residence Getty scholars and fellows, Getty interns: When a book is recalled for use by another patron, a recall notice is sent via e-mail to the present borrower. The borrower has up to six days to return the materials. After this time an overdue recall notice is sent to the borrower and his/her borrowing rights are suspended, both for Research Library materials and for Interlibrary Loan materials, until the overdue materials are returned or declared lost by the borrower.

Lost Materials

A recalled item is declared lost by circulation staff 3 weeks after it becomes overdue. The borrower will be assessed a $50.00 fine, a $10.00 processing fee, and the replacement cost of the book. Borrowing privileges will be restored upon receipt of payment or return of the book.

Should the lost book be returned within 6 months of the date that it was declared lost, the $50.00 fine and the replacement price will be refunded. The $10.00 processing fee is nonrefundable. Fines will be collected by the circulation staff.

If the lost item is checked out to a Getty department instead of to an individual, the department head will be held responsible for these materials and fines for lost items will be assessed against the department's budget.

Only the head of Circulation has the authority to clear patrons' accounts and to waive fines that are applied in error or where there are mitigating circumstances.